GCSE results day has arrived as students across the country receive their exam results. But what do the new GCSE grades mean?

GSCE results have been released to students up and down the country today. But as students receive their grades, many may be confused about the new grading system, which uses 9 to 1 instead of A to G. The grades were given for the first time in 2017 results for specifications that first started teaching in 2015.

GCSE: Students across the country are receiving their GCSE results today (Image: GETTY)

Three number grades, 9, 8 and 7, correspond to the old-style top grades of A* and A and is designed to give more differentiation at the top end.

The approach to awarding the top grades will be the same for all GCSE subjects.

A formula will be used that means that around 20 percent of all grades at 7 or above will be a grade 9.

The grade 8 boundary will be equally spaced between the grade 7 and grade 9 boundaries.

Trending

GCSE grade equivalent: GSCE has introduced a new grade system (Image: GETTY)

The new system is designed to make it harder for students to get top grades.

There are two pass marks, strong pass and standard pass, where 4 is a standard and 5 a strong.

Grade 5 will be equivalent to a high C and low B on the old grading system.

Grade 4 will remain the level that students must achieve without needing to resit English and Maths post-16.

Broadly the same proportion of students will achieve a grade 1 and above as currently achieve a grade G and above.

GCSE grade equivalent: Students will receive grades from 1 to 9 (Image: GETTY)

GCSE grade equivalent: Students across the country receive their GCSE results today (Image: GETTY)

The boundaries at grades 5 and 6 will be set based on the difference in marks between grades 4 and 7, grade 5 will be set at one third of the difference in marks, and grade 6 at two thirds the difference in marks.

This means a candidate who gets nine 4 grades has, technically, passed all their exams.

However, schools will be pushing pupils for at least a 5 as most sixth forms will be looking for students with strong passes.

The new grade system was designed to help teachers by indicating the likely average level of performance at the mid-points of grades 2, 5 and 8.